# Tim Mathieson
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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Mathieson
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{{Short description|Australian hairdresser and partner of Prime Minister Julia Gillard}}
{{distinguish|Tim Matheson}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Tim Mathieson
| image = Julia Gillard and Tim Mathieson January 2013 cropped.jpg
| caption = Mathieson with Julia Gillard in 2013
| office = [Partner of the Prime Minister of Australia](/source/Spouse_or_partner_of_the_prime_minister_of_Australia)
| term_label = In role
| term_start = 24 June 2010
| term_end = 27 June 2013
| predecessor = [Thérèse Rein](/source/Th%C3%A9r%C3%A8se_Rein)
| successor = Thérèse Rein
| birth_name = Timothy Raymond Mathieson
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1957}}
| birth_place = [Shepparton](/source/Shepparton), Victoria, Australia
| spouse = {{marriage|Diane Stark
|1987|2003|end=divorced}}
| partner = [Julia Gillard](/source/Julia_Gillard)
(2006–2021)
| children = 3
| education = [Shepparton High School](/source/Shepparton_High_School){{ref|http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/tim-mathieson-reveals-he-wants-partner-and-prime-minister-julia-gillard-to-be-his-wife/news-story/4478da3c7d39a6ca46ef365c2289b777}}
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Hairdresser
}}
'''Timothy Raymond Mathieson''' (born 1957) is an Australian hairdresser and the former [domestic partner](/source/Domestic_partnership) of [Julia Gillard](/source/Julia_Gillard), the 27th [prime minister of Australia](/source/prime_minister_of_Australia) from 2010 to 2013.[{{cite news |url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/gillards-partner-tim-mathieson-bubbly-20100624-z1o2.html |title=Gillard's partner Tim Mathieson 'bubbly' |date=24 June 2010 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |accessdate=26 June 2010 |agency=Australian Associated Press}}] Mathieson entered the public spotlight when he became Gillard's partner in 2006 while she was deputy leader of the [Australian Labor Party](/source/Australian_Labor_Party).[{{cite news |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iNDKSoYfQefXfk6QmkY4gKz3YLrQ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628071203/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iNDKSoYfQefXfk6QmkY4gKz3YLrQ |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 June 2010 |title=Beer-swilling hairdresser is Australia's 'First Bloke' |last=Harris |first=Talek |date=25 June 2010 |agency=Agence France-Presse |accessdate=26 June 2010}}][{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/julia-gillards-partner-faces-life-in-the-limelight/story-e6frg6nf-1225884482420 |title=Julia Gillard's partner faces life in the limelight |last=Lunn |first=Stephen |date=26 June 2010 |work=The Australian |accessdate=26 June 2010}}] His relationship with Gillard ended in 2021.[{{Cite news |date=2023-10-19 |title=Tim Mathieson, former partner of Julia Gillard, spared jail over sexual assault on sleeping woman |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-19/tim-mathieson-julia-gillard-partner-spared-jail-sexual-assault/102996542 |access-date=2023-10-19}}]
==Early life and career==
Mathieson was born and raised in [Shepparton](/source/Shepparton), Victoria. After a hairdressing apprenticeship in [suburban Melbourne](/source/South_Yarra%2C_Victoria), he first operated a Shepparton hair salon, then another on the [Gold Coast](/source/Gold_Coast%2C_Queensland), Queensland.[{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/management/our-julia/2007/05/18/1178995371860.html?page=fullpage |title=Our Julia |last=Valent |first=Dani |date=18 May 2007 |work=The Age |accessdate=26 June 2010 |location=Melbourne}}]
Mathieson returned to Australia in 2004, worked for one year as a hairdresser at ''Heading Out'' salon in Melbourne, where he met long-standing salon client, politician Julia Gillard. They began dating in March 2006.[{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/annabel-crabb/2008/11/28/1227491825246.html?page=fullpage |title=Gotta wash sexism right outta our hair |last=Crabb |first=Annabel |date=29 November 2008 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |accessdate=27 June 2010}}] as a sales representative for a hair products company.[{{cite web|author=Royce Millar and Rafael Epstein |url=http://www.theage.com.au/federal-election/tim-to-quit-job-if-julia-gets-up-20100819-12s25.html |title=Tim to quit job if Julia gets up |work=The Age |date=20 August 2010 |accessdate=26 June 2013}}]
Once Gillard became prime minister in June 2010, Mathieson supported her by assuming an unpaid behind-the-scenes role.[[http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/bath-blowdry-and-barracking-for-the-pm/story-fncvk70o-1226516979434 Bath Blowdry And Barracking For The Pm] ''The Daily Telegraph'' {{dead link|date=December 2022}}]
=== Public life===
In November 2008, [Minister for Health and Ageing](/source/Minister_for_Health_and_Ageing_(Australia)) [Nicola Roxon](/source/Nicola_Roxon) appointed Mathieson as one of the government's unpaid [men's health](/source/Men's_health_in_Australia) ambassadors.[{{cite press release|url=http://www.medialaunch.com.au/919/ |title=Kidney Health Australia Appoints Tim Mathieson as Health Ambassador |date=26 November 2008 |publisher=Kidney Health Australia |accessdate=27 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007064226/http://www.medialaunch.com.au/919/ |archivedate=7 October 2009 }}] a patron of the [Australian Men's Shed Association](/source/Australian_Men's_Shed_Association)[{{cite web |url=http://www.mensshed.org/page8386/About_Patrons.aspx |title=AMSA Patrons |year=2009 |publisher=Australian Men's Shed Association |accessdate=26 June 2010 |archive-date=6 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206221245/http://www.mensshed.org/page8386/About_Patrons.aspx |url-status=dead }}] and involved with the Indigenous Diabetes Association in Alice Springs[{{cite web |url=http://www.beyondblue.org.au/index.aspx?link_id=59.1159 |title=Tim Mathieson, Men's Health Ambassador |year=2009 |publisher=Beyond Blue |accessdate=26 June 2010}}] In December 2010, Mathieson was appointed patron of the [National Portrait Gallery](/source/National_Portrait_Gallery_(Australia)).[{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/julia-gillards-partner-tim-mathieson-new-patron-of-national-portrait-gallery/story-fn3dxity-1225972099051 |work=The Australian |title=Julia Gillard's partner Tim Mathieson new patron of National Portrait Gallery |date=16 December 2010 |accessdate=19 January 2011}}]
In January 2013, Mathieson attracted media attention for a joke he made while advocating for [prostate](/source/prostate) examinations, advising men to seek out "a small Asian female doctor" when receiving a rectal prostate exam. After commentators considered his remark inappropriate and in poor taste, he apologised.[{{cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/first-bloke-tim-mathiesons-prostate-joke-labelled-tasteless/story-fn59niix-1226563992926 |title=First Bloke Tim Mathieson apologises for prostate joke 'in poor taste' |work=The Australian |date=28 September 2012 |accessdate=26 June 2013}}]
==Personal life==
While in his late teens during the 1970s, Mathieson fathered a daughter with his girlfriend Pam Child.[{{cite web | url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/tim-mathieson-reveals-he-wants-partner-and-prime-minister-julia-gillard-to-be-his-wife/news-story/4478da3c7d39a6ca46ef365c2289b777 | title='First bloke' Tim eyes the altar | work=adelaidenow }}][{{cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/gillard-lovers-dark-past/story-e6freuy9-1111114637949 |title=Julia Gillard's partner in plea |last=Tinkler |first=Chris |date=14 October 2007 |work=The Daily Telegraph |accessdate=26 June 2010 |location=Australia}}] In 1987, Mathieson married Diane Stark; they had a son and a daughter together[{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/first-bloke-is-a-mans-man-20100626-zapz.html |title=First bloke is a man's man |last=Walsh |first=Kerry-Anne |author2=Benns, Matthew |date=27 June 2010 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |accessdate=27 June 2010}}] and divorced in 2003.[{{cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/election/speeding-tim-was-also-a-drink-driver/story-fn5zm695-1225899457615 |title=Speeding Tim Mathieson was also a drink-driver |last=Weston |first=Paul |date=1 August 2010 |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=Australia |accessdate=1 August 2010}}] In March 2006, Mathieson started dating Julia Gillard.[{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/lets-wait-and-see-on-marriage-says-julia-gillards-partner/story-fn5vfgwx-1225884011977 |title=Let's wait and see on marriage, says Julia Gillard's partner |last=Lunn |first=Stephen |date=25 June 2010 |work=The Australian |accessdate=26 June 2010}}] Mathieson's relationship with Gillard ended in 2021.[{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Natalie |title=Julia Gillard confirms she's quietly split with former 'First Bloke' Tim Mathieson |url=https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/julia-gillard-confirms-shes-quietly-split-with-former-first-bloke-tim-mathieson/news-story/fd7f2eb354d1a921e203222162f94de9 |access-date=27 March 2022 |work=news.com.au |date=27 March 2022}}]
In July 2023, Mathieson pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual assault after non-consensually sucking the nipple of a sleeping woman and "latching onto her breast when she tried to fend him off" in March 2022.[{{Cite web |last=Pearson |first=Erin |date=2023-07-27 |title=Julia Gillard's ex-partner Tim Mathieson to plead guilty to sex assault |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/julia-gillard-s-ex-partner-tim-mathieson-pleads-guilty-to-sex-assault-20230727-p5dro9.html |access-date=2023-07-27 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}]